Abstract
The aim of the research was to verify a common opinion concerning a positive influence of plants on the bearing capacity and durability of forest roads made of unbound aggregates. The surface bearing capacity is defined as the ability to transfer traffic loads without any excessive deformations which would hinder regular use of the surface and shorten its durability. It is a significant functional feature of any road. The article analyzed the influence of road surface plant succession on its bearing parameters. The research was conducted on sections of experimental road constructed using macadam technology and reinforced partly with a biaxial geogrid. Measurements were taken with a lightweight Zorn ZFG 3000 GPS type deflectometer with a 300 mm pressure plate radius and 10 kg drop weight which allowed to measure dynamic deformation modulus (Evd) and s/v parameter regarded as an indicator of compaction accuracy of the studied layer. Evd values and s/v parameters, which were obtained by measuring the road pavement covered in vegetation and after having it mechanically removed (mowed), were submitted to the analysis; next, they were compared with the results of an analysis done on areas naturally deprived of the plant cover and located in the immediate vicinity of the measuring points. The conducted research has indicated unfavorable influence of vegetation succession on the bearing parameters of the analyzed sections. The greatest drop in the mean Evd value was 39%, and s/v parameter deteriorated as much as 9%. Hence, a regular mowing of the road surface (including the maneuvering, storage and passing areas) should be taken as standard and mandatory procedures of forest road maintenance.
Highlights
In Poland, in the forest road construction process, the roads are usually built from natural aggregate, whereas recycled materials reinforced with geosynthetics are used less often [1].In the past, plant materials were used in road construction, especially on wetlands, such as for example, wooden poles, fascine or brushwood were used to lay the base course [2,3,4]
The research presented in this paper focused on analyzing the influence of vegetation succession on the road pavement made of unbound aggregates, and /more precisely/ on its bearing capacity
Contrary to the popular opinion about the positive influence of vegetation on the forest road pavement, it is necessary to state that the occurrence of vegetation succession on the analyzed road
Summary
Plant materials were used in road construction, especially on wetlands, such as for example, wooden poles, fascine or brushwood were used to lay the base course [2,3,4]. In Poland, a study on such a technology is conducted aimed at use of wooden rollers poles) or willow mat to reinforce the road courses constructed in high nature-value wetlands [5,6]. Among the technologies that use plant materials applied in the other parts of the world positive results are achieved by reinforcing the ground of the road course with coconut fibres i.e., [7,8,9,10,11]. At times, during fieldwork it is possible to observe, makeshift methods of improving the bearing capacity of natural dirt road by using bark or woodchips or other methods of dirt road, and even airfield reinforcing such as sodding [12].
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